Northwest, Delta to operate as single carrier

The Northwest Airlines name will soon be phased out.Delta Airlines has received government permission to operate its own service and that of Northwest Airlines as a single carrier.

The single operating certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration allows Delta to put its code on Northwest flights, phasing out the Northwest name. That process will be complete in the first quarter of 2010.

Delta acquired Northwest in 2008 to become the world's biggest airline.